
Book IEIl§.^jt_^S 7 

CopyiightK?_____J_3j-i? 



CjQEmiGHT DEPOSm 



The Sorrows of a 
Red Cross Nurse 



By 
HERMAN FREDERICK HEGNER 




iARnctveRiTAnt 



BOSTON 

RICHARD G. BADGER 

THE GORHAM PRESS 



Copyright, 1919, by Herman F. Hegner 
All Rights Reserved 



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M\ 14 i9i9 



MADE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 



Thb Goream Press, Boston. U. S. A. 



ICI.A525403 



To the Noble Wives and Mothers 
Who offered their Loved Ones 
Upon the Altar of World Democracy 



FOREWORD 

Thousands of our soldiers, and their Allied 
comrades, treasure in their hearts the sweet image 
of some Red Cross nurse who pulled them out of 
the shadows to go over the top again. Nor will 
they ever forget the cheerful smiles that helped 
them through their dark hours, the sympathetic 
voices that read the dear home letter to them, and 
the occasional patriotic and popular songs that 
cheered their convalescence. Among these brave 
young women who consecrated their lives to deeds 
of mercy were many faces touched by a shade of 
sadness. The tragedy of their own hearts deep- 
ened the sympathy and love that ministered to the 
needy. 

"The Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse" is the 
story of one of these ministering angels whose own 
sadness added a touch of glory to her work. The 
struggle between sorrow and loving service in her 
heart proved, however, a losing battle until the 
patriotic vision of World Democracy lifted her 
above the clouds of grief. 

In the revealing light of pure patriotism millions 
of wives and mothers who laid their loved ones 
upon the altar have likewise risen triumphant over 
sorrow. It is to these brave and loyal souls that this 
poem is lovingly dedicated. "The Sorrows of a 
Red Cross Nurse" also typifies the meaning of the 
World War through these four years of frightful- 
ness. Paralyzed at first by the horror of it the 
World-Mind, as revealed in the simple and epoch- 
making words of President Wilson and other 
statesmen, has gradually reached the mountain 
height of World Democracy. 

— H. F. H. 



THE SORROWS OF A RED CROSS NURSE 



Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



INTRODUCTION 

The tragic death of Jules Chapelle 

Most sadly I'm constrained to tell — 

A Belgian peer, who traveled far 

And woed a bright New England star 

With beauty rare and voice so sweet 

That thousands worshiped at her feet. 

He won her heart within a year. 

They planned to wed where they could hear 

His old ancestral chapel bell 

A long and happy life foretell: 

So to his native Liege away 

They sped to greet their wedding day. 



Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



Bright gleamed the rugged castle walls, 
And welcomes shone from stately halls 
To peasant cottage. Happy girls 
In Sunday frocks and raven curls 
Strewed fragrant flowers up the way 
To glorify their wedding day, 
And twined them 'round the altar where 
The priest invoked the nuptial prayer. 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



But when they spoke the sacred words 
That Heaven's guardian saint records 
They listened — would the magic bell 
A life of wedded bliss foretell? 
'Twas silent! but the distant sound 
Of thunder shook along the ground! 
Pale faces whispered in dismay — 
"It is the Kaiser on the way 
To Paris!" Lo, a Teuton shell 
Crushed in the belfry, and the bell 
Came crashing through the chapel side 
Upon the altar, and the bride 
Swooned where her dying bridegroom bled 
And stained her veil a crimson red! 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



She laid her widowed heart to rest 
Beneath his ancient family crest 
And fled to France 'mid war's alarm 
To wear the Red Cross on her arm, 
And all the horrors that befell 
She left her diary to tell, 
Inscribed unto the Goddess far 
Of Liberty, her guiding star. 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



I 



Dear Goddess: 

Is my humble part 
To bind the flag around my heart, 
My bleeding heart, and sadly bear 
The red cross I am proud to wear? 
My bridal veil is stained with red 
Where gushed the life blood of my dead, 
My Belgian bridegroom, noble, brave. 
Who sleeps in yonder tear washed grave! 
The long, long days have come and gone 
And still my life is throbbing on 
In anguish, pain, and dumb despair 
Because my heart is bleeding where 
Fair Belgium's martyred children lie 
Beneath the war god's blood stained sky — 
Cease, sorrow, cease! be silent, pain! 
Let my young heart be glad again! 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



I've tried so hard to live and bear- 
The red cross in my soul I wear! 
Amid the din of battle strife 
The vision leads; my wretched life, 
A living cross, I daily bring 
To scenes of human suffering. 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



But still doth Jules' dear face appear, 
And in my soul I seem to hear 
A voice that cries — "The earth must be 
Made safe for world democracy!" 
And then I feel that I must bear 
This searching message everywhere 
But know not how. How can I speak, 
A helpless widowed bride so weak! 
How can I make the people hear 
The dying cry that pierced my ear 
When cold in death my bridegroom lay 
Beneath God's altar that cruel day! 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



Last night the vision haunted me. 
From troubled dreams I 'woke to see, 
With beating heart and feeling tense, 
The war lord's mighty armaments 
Pass in parade — while in the skies 
Great vultures with their bloody eyes 
Screamed loud; "The fittest must survive. 
The vulture brood will be alive 
Until the end!" Then Freedom sang; 
Through all the world her echoes sprang 
And hurled the vultures from the air! 
I felt those echoes, sweet and rare, 
Within my soul, insistent, strong. 
Burst into patriotic song! 
But when I woke I felt so weak, 
Great tears were running down my cheek. 
For how could I, a wretched thing. 
Forget my sacred grief and sing? 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



I'm writing in an arbor here. 
The lily buds are just as dear, 
The blushing roses just as red — 
They do not know that he is dead! 
Nor dare I tell them, for they bring 
A balm to ease my suffering. 
They seem to breathe into my ear 
The words I dearly loved to hear 
When Jules placed on my yearning breast 
The violets I loved the best. 
"They speak the language of your eyes," 
He whispered — how I love and prize 
His precious words, they greet me here 
Among my flower friends so dear; 
For, somehow, he is with me yet — 
And, for a moment, I forget! 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



This morning trouble thus took wing 

And strangely I began to sing 

America — alas, 'twas then 

That sorrow sought her nest again. 

But music would not let me go, 

I felt great echoes through me flow; 

And then, at last, my soul was free. 

Those sympathetic chords in me. 

Those vibrant chords, insistent, strong, 

Burst forth in patriotic song! 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



Dear Madam B across the way 

O'erheard the song and came to say, 
With gentle voice and accents kind, 
"Dear child, let Loving Service bind 
Your bleeding heart, and nobly lift 
Humanity w^ith your great gift. 
Your voice is pure and sweet and rare, 
Your songs will help our soldiers bear 
Their pain — you must not hide your light! 
We need your voice to win the fight 
And send our heroes back again 
A mighty victory to gain." 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



And, goddess, could I ever choose 

Such welcome counsel to refuse, 

Or, in my grief, neglect to hear 

What in my vision seemed so clear? 

And so I've joined the souls that wear 

The red cross, and the maidens fair 

Who sooth the fevered brow of pain 

And double share of blessings gain. 

My feet I consecrate to go 

In mercy down each suffering row. 

And join the kindly voices sweet 

That soothe ; and to the smiles that greet 

Our convalescing heroes there 

And give brave souls new strength to bear, 

ril add my special gift of song 

To help my country's cause along. 

'Tis thus I'll do my little part — 

I'll bind the flag about my heart 

And sing our nation's songs so dear 

Our wounded soldiers' hearts to cheer. 

God grant that I may sing them well! 

Your loving daughter, 

— June Chapelle 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



II 



Dear Goddess: 

When his wan face lay 
In Belgian soil that cruel dark day, 
And banks of fragrant flowers sweet 
Lay on the fresh mound at my feet, 
I thought my aching heart would break, 
And prayed for God to come and take 
My life and let the rootlets bind 
Our hearts together. It was kind 
Of Heaven to refuse my plea — 
Our soldier boys are dear to me, 
I sing the songs they love to hear 
Their convalescing souls to cheer. 
And hover o'er their beds of pain 
To win them back to life again. 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



Oh that my lips should ever tell 
The horrors that about them fell 
When first the war lord shook his mane 
And loosed this fearful hurricane! 
The northern sky was black with woe — 
We saw the bloody rivers flow ! 
Grim specters grasped with bony hands 
Great scythes that swept the stricken lands; 
And steel-ribbed vultures from the air 
Hurled death and terror everywhere, 
While grinning skulls spit deadly flame — 
'Twas thus the ruthless Terror came! 
Five million victims snatched from sleep! 
Five million wives to starve and weep! 
And frightened hordes of orphans fair, 
Robbed of sweet home and love and care — 
These, these, the war lord's fearful toll 
Of helpless life and blasted soul, 
Aye, these, a fearful, fearful sight, 
Gleamed ghastly 'gainst the whirling night ! 
And it was doubly hard to sing 
Because this spectral, gruesome thing, 
With bloody talons, lingered near — 
The very stones were cold with fear! 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



You know the rest; those battle lines, 
From deadly marsh to fortressed pines, 
Like some bruised serpent's writhing tail, 
Refused to die — of what avail 
Our blows, when but the fading gold 
Could make that writhing serpent cold? 
Speed, Western Eagle, speed on high 
And pierce the serpent's deadly eye! 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



Last night I dreamed the planet, Mars, 

Arose and marshalled all his stars. 

And thought, "Are Freedom's stars all there. 

And will my Jules arise to bear 

His flag, through deadly shells, on high 

To victory — and still not die?" 

And then I longed on wings of light 

To pierce the dismal realms of night 

And beg the warrior stars to tell 

Where I can find my Jules Chapelle; 

And, longing thus, my soul grew strong, 

And suddenly burst into song. 

And through my grief, half song, half prayer, 

I breathed these words into the air: 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



Jules Chapelle 

Where can I find my Jules Chapelle? 

His old ancestral chapel bell 

Was crushed with grief to see us part, 

The stars of Heaven envy me 

His image treasured in my heart — 

Speak, speak, kind friends, and quickly tell 

Where I can find my Jules Chapelle. 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



Refrain : 

Ye tyrants, with your deadly keels, 
And ruthless airships strong, 
Ye autocrats, whose iron heels 
Dance to the war god's song — 
O God of mercy shrive ye well! 
Ye killed my Jules Chapelle! 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



Where can I find my Jules Chapelle? 

Beneath God's sacred shrine he fell, 

And stained my bridal veil with red, 

As cruelly, o'er my swooning breast, 

I felt the life blood of my dead — 

Speak, speak, kind friends, and quickly tell 

Where I can find my Jules Chapelle. 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



Refrain : 

Ye tyrants, with your deadly keels, 
And ruthless airships strong, 
Ye autocrats, whose iron heels 
Dance to the war god's song — 
O God of mercy shrive ye well! 
Ye killed my Jules Chapelle! 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



Scarce had the echoes died away 
Than heaven grew more light than day 
And thy great torch, a-blazing far, 
Extinguished every warrior star. 
Then came a kind sweet voice and low 
That murmured, "Do not sorrow so, 
My child, your gift of song we need 
Our wounded hero-souls to feed — 
Go, show your light, you must not fail, 
Go tell the soldiers your sad tale!" 
And truly, though the joy is brief, 
In singing I forget my grief — 
I've sung a hundred times, and more; 
I've told my story o'er and o'er 
Thy holy vision to obey. 
And still I'm singing every day! 
Pray God to keep me strong and well, 
Your loving daughter, 

— June Chapelle 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



III 



Dear Goddess: 

How the long days roll 
Their restless waves into my soul 
And cast their shells upon the sand. 
I stand alone upon the strand 
And seek a fount my soul to ease 
Where nature shrives God's unities. 
And then I find my arbor seat 
Our fragrance breathing friends to greet. 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



But still my heart is never glad. 
In gladness I am always sad, 
For sorrow has espoused the day 
The war god tore my love away; 
And every night and every morn 
The progeny of grief is born 
And sorrow's infant brood of care, 
With sad weird faces fills the air. 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



But often when the sun sinks low 

And God's cathedral windows glow 

I somehow feel my Jules is there, 

And lo! my soul is winged with prayer! 

Then when the moon looks through the trees 

And zephyrs fan the evening breeze, 

I suddenly begin to weep, 

And, weeping, sob myself to sleep. 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



But in my dreams dark shadows fall — 
I seem to hear the distant call 
Of voices, friends of long gone by 
Speak to my heart; and then I cry, 
**Oh, take me from lone sorrow's peak 
The fellowship of souls to seek!" 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



But when I find sweet friendship's beach 
The gladness that my soul would reach 
Is driftwood on a wave washed shore 
That floods into the deep once more, 
And memory's heaving, restless tide 
Comes rolling in on every side, 
And joy's brief footprints in the sand 
Are buried — all alone I stand, 
While from the deep sad voices cry 
And storms of grief go rushing by! 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



One night when sleep thus deluged me 
With anguished dreams I woke to see 
Thy beauteous guardian form appear. 
The torch of truth dispersing fear 
Illumed my soul and showed the way 
And where my duty lay each day; 
How every grief and wrong I bore 
Would help my country win the war; 
And lo! a pure revealing light, 
A patriotic vision bright, 
Illumed my mountain peak, and peace 
Bade sorrow's restless voices cease! 
And that transcendent healing ray 
Now leads my soul from day to day. 
In sorrow I am not so sad; 
Remembered joys now make me glad; 
The morning star in grief's dark skies 
Gleams where my martyred bridegroom lies 
Hail, victory! proclaim the dawn! 
The night of grief at last is gone! 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



And, Goddess, from my mountain height, 
I see by the revealing light 
The unity of God's great plan 
And feel the brotherhood of man. 
Fve sung and nursed and labored sore 
On twenty battlefields — and more; 
Fve helped the wounded soldiers rise 
To drive the war god from the skies 
And fight for world democracy. 
Tradition can no longer be 
Man's guiding star — o'er earth's dark ways 
We've made the torch of Freedom blaze! 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



The world has reached the mountain height 
Where in the pure revealing light 
Of thy great torch our eyes can see 
The dawn of World Democracy. 
Oh, may we soon behold the morn 
That this new world of love is born; 
For then across life's stormy sea 
My yearning heart will turn to thee, 
With thee, in my own land to dwell, 
Your loving daughter, 

— June Chapelle 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



IV 



Dear Goddess: 

It has come at last, 
The war god from the sky is cast. 
The nations of the earth are free 
To form a world democracy! 
Tm in Versailles — 'tis heaven here, 
The golden age is surely near. 
A world-united Parliament, 
To which the nations all have sent 
Their greatest minds, has met to find 
A Constitution of Mankind; 
And they have brought me here to sing 
In honor of their opening. 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



Last night once more thy vision fair 
Of Freedom cried — "Arise, and bear 
The flag of Nations! 'Rise and sing 
The Anthem of the World! 'Twill ring 
From land to land and sea to sea 
For brotherhood and liberty!" 
And lo! with far exalted gaze 
I saw o'er ocean's waterways 
Great merchant ships in triumph bear 
Earth's mighty commerce everywhere, 
And in the entrance to each land 
I saw Bartholdi's statue stand. 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



The outlook faded then — but see! 
Thy beauteous form still beckoned me, 
A sky blue banner in her hand 
Inlaid with flags of every land. 
**This Flag of Nations you must bring 
To yon great hall", she cried, "and sing 
Fair Freedom's anthem of the world 
When this pure banner is unfurled!" 
And then I heard a marv'lous thing, 
The very heavens seemed to ring 
And angel voices echoed long 
The world's new patriotic song: 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



ANTHEM OF MANKIND 

Our country of the World 
Thy noble flag unfurled 
Proclaims thy fame, 
Let all the nations be 
Allied for liberty, 
A World Democracy, 
In thy great name. 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



Our Country of the World 

The germ of peace lies curled 

In thy wise laws: 

Let freedom rule the sea; 

Let no race alien be; 

Let world-leagued liberty 

Be thy great cause. 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



Our Country of the World 
The god of war is hurled 
From his high place; 
Let arbitration's might 
Maintain what's just and right, 
And freedom's torch gleam bright 
On every race! 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



This morning ere the trance could fade 
With my own hands I quickly made 
The Flag of Nations which I bore 
In triumph through that palace door; 
Nor can my tongue find words to tell 
The patriotic zeal that fell 
Upon that Congress of the World 
When thy great banner was unfurled; 
Nor could my voice more ferver find 
To sing the Anthem of Mankind! 



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Sorrows of a Red Cross Nurse 



Rejoice! rejoice! the victory's won! 
We're happy for our work is done; 
We're happy for we're coming home — 
And all your soldier boys will come! 
So watch for us, we love you well, 
Your loving daughter, 

— June Chapelle 



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